Santa Paula provides a balanced range of health, educational, governmental, and recreational/cultural facilities to satisfy the needs of its citizens.
HEALTH
Santa Paula has one
general hospital with a 60-bed capacity and access to regional
medical facilities in both Ventura and Oxnard. Health care personnel
within the community include 72 physicians/surgeons, 12 dentists, a
part-time orthodontist, 5 ophthalmologists, 3 optometrists, and 5
chiropractors. There is a nursing home and 2 convalescent hospitals.
Ambulance service is provided by a private firm.
EDUCATION
Santa Paula has 4 K-8 school districts, 1 high school district,
3 parochial and private schools and several preschools and daycare
providers. Thomas Aquinas College resides in Santa Paula. Ventura
Community College, Moorpark Community College and Oxnard Community
College are within easy access. Nearby four-year institutions include
CSU Channel Islands
(which is in the process of developing their academic programs), the
Ventura Campus of CSU Northridge which is currently located at CSU Channel
Islands, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal Lutheran College.
GOVERNMENT
The City of Santa Paula has the Council/Administrator form of government.
Council members are elected to four-year terms. The Council elects one
member to serve as Mayor for a one-year term.
POLICE and FIRE
Police protection is provided by a modern, well-equipped, staffed Police
Department with an emphasis on service to the public. Additional support
is available from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. The City is
served by a well-equipped, paid-call Fire Department.
PARKS and RECREATION
The city's Mediterranean climate allows its residents to enjoy its 8
parks, 8 playgrounds, summer swim program, tennis courts,
baseball/softball complex and nearby 18 and 9 hole golf courses. Fresh
and salt water fishing, camping, backpacking, water sports and beaches
are located nearby as well. Year-round recreational programs are
offered through the City's Recreation Department. Santa Paula is
host to the annual Citrus Festival each July. Santa Barbara (45 minutes)
and greater Los Angeles (1 to 1 1/2 hours) are also readily accessible
when the desire arises.
CULTURAL
Within Santa Paula there are approximately 30 churches, 1 library,
1 local newspaper ,
1 local historical society,1 community theater facility, several
community and civic organizations, 1 arts society, a 7-Plex movie
center, 4 banks, a local non-commercial airport and SCAT bus service.
The Santa Paula Theater Center offers many fine theatrical productions. The Santa Paula Society of the Arts encourages and supports all forms of art in our community and in Ventura County. They encourage all children and all schools through art events and scholarships for Santa Paula Union High School graduate art students. They are committed to the preservation of the Santa Paula City Art Collection and encourage local artists to participate in a yearly juried art show which had its beginning in 1937. They recognize, encourage and support local artists in their continued education and in the improvement in the quality of their art. The Santa Paula Society of the Arts is a not-for-profit organization of artists, craftsmen, and friends of the arts in Southern California, whose members are united to improve their works and art understanding, to further art awareness in the community, and support enthusiastically all beneficial art activities; to create a nucleus for growth by sponsoring workshops, competitions and opportunities for members to show their works; to offer encouragement and incentive to talented students through scholarships or other means; to sponsor programs relative to art; and to promote standards constantly more exacting.
Ventura County Regional Clearinghouse page
